Wed, 19 Dec 2018 07:39:54 GMTMADAGASCARTwo ex-presidents face off in Madagascar’s electionshttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-two-ex-presidents-ravalomanana-rajoelina-madagascar-presidential-electionsMadagascar goes to the polls for the second round of its presidential elections on Wednesday in a run-off between two ex-presidents, Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, who clashed during the country’s 2009 political crisis.359e615a-02ec-11e9-9709-005056bf02adTue, 18 Dec 2018 17:41:53 GMTMamyrael, AFP | The two candidates in Madagascar's presidential elections, Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, pictured before a televised debate on December 9.Stéphanie TROUILLARDDR CONGOUN urges all sides to reject violence ahead of DR Congo presidential votehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181219-un-calls-violence-free-dr-congo-vote-presidential-campaignThe UN Security Council Tuesday urged all parties to reject violence five days before the presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo.ce74abf0-035f-11e9-a54a-005056a96846Wed, 19 Dec 2018 07:29:21 GMTJohns Wessels, AFP | A man walks past a wall filled with campaign posters in the district of Lingwala in Kinshasa on December 18, 2018.FRANCE 24BELGIUMBelgian PM Charles Michel offers resignation amid nationalist anger over migrantshttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-belgian-pm-resigns-coalition-comes-under-pressureNationalist anger over migration brought down the Belgian government on Tuesday, forcing Prime Minister Charles Michel to offer the king his resignation.3c99ea32-02fc-11e9-840f-005056a91e0eTue, 18 Dec 2018 19:36:37 GMTBen Stansall, AFP | Belgium's Prime Minister Charles Michel has resigned amid pressure on his government.NEWS WIRESUSA'Disgust and disdain': Judge blasts Trump ex-aide Flynn as sentencing delayedhttps://www.france24.com/en/20181219-disgust-disdain-judge-blasts-ex-trump-aide-flynn-sentencing-delayed-fbi-mueller-russiaA federal judge Tuesday abruptly postponed the sentencing of President Donald Trump's first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, for lying to the FBI and raised the unexpected prospect of sending the retired Army lieutenant general to prison.4a5c9916-0320-11e9-bbfc-005056bf8007Tue, 18 Dec 2018 23:54:40 GMTSaul Loeb / AFP | Former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn leaves after his sentencing hearing at US District Court in Washington, DC, December 18, 2018. NEWS WIRESCUBACuba 'to scrap same-sex marriage law' in new constitutionhttps://www.france24.com/en/20181219-cuba-scrap-same-sex-marriage-law-new-constitutionCuba will leave out of its new constitution changes that would have paved the way for legal same-sex marriage, despite majority support in local assemblies, a government official said Tuesday.9a7b5ec2-034e-11e9-8f5a-005056bfe832Wed, 19 Dec 2018 05:26:13 GMTYamil Lage / AFP | A poster for the Cuba's constitutional reform process is seen in a street of Havana, on November 13, 2018. UK - EUUK puts troops on standby as plans for 'no-deal' Brexit stepped uphttps://www.france24.com/en/20181219-uk-puts-troops-standby-plans-no-deal-brexit-stepped-theresa-may-european-unionThe British government on Tuesday said it was allocating two billion pounds ($2.5 billion) to fund Brexit and putting 3,500 troops on stand-by after ministers agreed to make no-deal planning "an operational priority".e24843d6-032c-11e9-a35e-005056bf8007Wed, 19 Dec 2018 01:24:50 GMTJessica Taylor / UK Parliament / AFP | Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement to the House of Commons in London on December 17, 2018.NEWS WIRESFRANCEFrance proposes €300 bonus to police on duty for Yellow Vest protestshttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-france-proposes-give-300-bonus-police-duty-yellow-vest-protestsSeeking to soothe police forces demanding improved working conditions, the French government on Tuesday proposed giving 300-euro ($340) bonuses to officers deployed to the aggressive and disruptive protests that started last month.0dd49dd8-02d8-11e9-8c6b-005056bfe832Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:17:37 GMTSebastien Salom-Gomis, AFP | French riot police clash with a protester wearing yellow vest (gilets jaunes) as they protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes in Nantes, on December 15, 2018.NEWS WIRESUKRAINEIMF approves $4bn financial aid package for Ukrainehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181219-imf-approves-4-billion-financial-aid-package-ukraineThe International Monetary Fund executive board on Tuesday gave final approval to a new loan package for Ukraine and released $1.4 billion for immediate use.ba39cd3c-034b-11e9-834f-005056bf8007Wed, 19 Dec 2018 05:05:38 GMTStephen Jaffe / IMF / AFP (file photo) | Head of the IMF Christine Lagarde and Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko in Washington, DC on June 20, 2017.NEWS WIRESDR CONGODR Congo elections: A look at the Catholic Church's impact on the votehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-dr-congo-elections-look-catholic-churchs-impact-voteIn the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the two years since President Joseph Kabila’s refusal to step aside, the Catholic Church has remained an institution that can speak without fear.13832c58-02d4-11e9-876b-005056a942d7Tue, 18 Dec 2018 14:49:07 GMTScreengrab, France 24FRANCE 24On The ObserversThousands protest Palestinian authority’s social security schemehttp://observers.france24.com/content/20181218-protest-palestinian-authority-social-securityea67e598-02e7-11e9-b1f5-005056bf8007Tue, 18 Dec 2018 17:11:09 GMTFOCUSIn Ukraine's Donbas region, war rumbles onhttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-focus-ukraine-donbas-region-war-martial-law-ukrainian-church-russian-backed-forces
Last month, a naval incident saw Russia shoot openly at Ukrainian military personnel for the first time and seize 24 Ukrainian sailors. Ukraine, in response, has declared martial law in ten regions, made good on promises to create an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and ended a treaty of friendship with Russia that was still in force. Little noticed by the world, war rumbles on in the eastern Donbas region, occupied by Russian-backed forces. FRANCE 24's Gulliver Cragg reports.
6813b200-02d0-11e9-9ab2-005056bfe832Tue, 18 Dec 2018 14:22:51 GMTGulliver CRAGGFRANCEFrench economic growth slowed down by 'Yellow Vests' protestshttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-french-growth-slowed-down-yellow-vests-protests-economyFrench growth should bounce back early next year after violent anti-government protests and wilting business confidence cut short a previously expected year-end recovery, the INSEE stats agency said on Tuesday.6268eddc-02f0-11e9-8086-005056a96846Tue, 18 Dec 2018 18:11:46 GMTChristophe Archambault, AFP | Protesters wearing yellow vests (gilets jaunes) demonstrate on the Champs-Elysees in Paris, on December 15, 2018 against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. NEWS WIRESMIGRATIONInternational Migrants Day: 'Migration has become a political issue instead of a human one'https://www.france24.com/en/video/20181218-international-migrants-day-migration-has-become-political-issue-instead-human-oneImmigration is a hot button issue for politicians across the world, resulting in a toughening up of migration policies: last year alone, 68 million people were forced to flee their homes. “Migration has become a political issue instead of a human one,” says Dina Ionesco, Head of Migration, Environment, and Climate Change Division of the International Organisation for Migration, in an interview with FRANCE 24. “We need to think concretely, technically, and in practical terms about how to manage migration.” 8a47d356-02da-11e9-9b84-005056a942d7Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:35:24 GMTFRANCE24EL SALVADOREl Salvador court frees woman jailed under strict anti-abortion lawhttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-el-salvador-justice-court-imelda-cortez-free-woman-jailed-strict-anti-abortion-lawA Salvadoran woman accused of the attempted murder of her newborn baby under the country’s strict abortion laws after she was raped by her stepfather was freed by a court on Monday after more than 18 months in jail.9e9ae32e-02b8-11e9-af54-005056bf8007Tue, 18 Dec 2018 11:32:35 GMTJose Cabezas, Reuters | Imelda Cortez reacts as she leaves a court of law after being acquitted of attempted aggravated murder under the country's abortion law, in Usulutan, El Salvador, on December 17, 2018.NEWS WIRESFOOTBALLManchester United sack Mourinho after loss against Liverpool, abysmal start to seasonhttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-manager-jose-mourinho-leaves-manchester-united-football-seasonManchester United have sacked manager Jose Mourinho with immediate effect after 17 matches following a dismal start to the season, the Premier League side announced on Tuesday.9b6fbeb0-02b1-11e9-8ac7-005056a942d7Tue, 18 Dec 2018 10:42:24 GMTPaul Ellis, AFP | Then Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho gestures on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Liverpool and Manchester United at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England on December 16, 2018. FRANCE 24FRANCEFrench toll operator wants drivers to settle up after Yellow Vest damagehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-france-business-yellow-vest-vinci-autoroutes-toll-operator-drivers-settle-after-damageMajor French toll road operator Vinci Autoroutes is planning to invoice motorists who drove on without paying during the recent “Yellow Vest” protests in France.5a92a70a-0297-11e9-b141-005056a942d7Tue, 18 Dec 2018 07:34:28 GMTSylvain Thomas, AFP | Yellow Vest protesters at the La Barque toll station near Marseille, France, on December 9, 2018.FRANCE 24ENCORE!Rupert Everett: The Importance of Being Oscar Wildehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-encore-culture-cinema-rupert-everett-happy-prince-oscar-wilde-exile-paris
Rupert Everett speaks to Eve Jackson about his directorial debut "The Happy Prince", his admiration of Oscar Wilde and why it was important for him to focus on the writer's final years in exile in Paris after being released from prison following his conviction for "gross indecency" – the result of a homosexual affair.
d1ff37e6-02d7-11e9-b537-005056bfe832Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:15:56 GMTEve JACKSONHUNGARYHungary state TV hit as 'slave' labour law protests continuehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-hungary-state-tv-hit-slave-labour-law-protests-continue-orbanAnti-government protests in Hungary hit the country's public broadcaster on Monday, with the opposition galvanised by the furious reaction to a controversial new labour law.12f72836-0282-11e9-ad98-005056a96846Tue, 18 Dec 2018 05:02:08 GMTPeter Kohalmi / AFP | Protesters outside the headquarter of the Hungarian state television in Budapest on December 17, 2018.NEWS WIRESUSAReports detail how Russia used social media to sow US divisionshttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-usa-cyber-attacks-reports-detail-russia-social-media-divisions-2016-presidential-electionsRussian interference in the 2016 US presidential election on social media was more widespread than previously thought and included attempts to divide Americans by race and extreme ideology, reports released Monday said.80223ab2-02a1-11e9-bb2b-005056a96846Tue, 18 Dec 2018 08:47:05 GMTChris Bergin, Reuters | A supporter of Trump and Republican senate candidate Mike Braun attends the election night party in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 6, 2018.FRANCE 24YEMEN'Clashes in Yemen's Hodeida' as ceasefire comes into forcehttps://www.france24.com/en/20181218-clashes-yemen-hodeida-ceasefire-comes-force-houthis-saudi-arabiaClashes erupted Tuesday morning in Yemen just minutes after a ceasefire deal took effect in the country's flashpoint port city of Hodeida, a pro-government official said.f318e1a6-0274-11e9-bb02-005056bfe832Tue, 18 Dec 2018 03:28:11 GMTAFP | A Yemeni pro-government fighter walks with a rifle in the Houthi-held Red Sea port city of Hodeida on December 15, 2018. NEWS WIRES